Lost (and Found?)
by anongurl
Summary: C/M's plane crashes. R,R n P didn't know they were dating. How do they react? *FINISHED*
1. Realization

"Hello children," Chandler said as he walked into Monica and Rachel's apartment. "Oh hey, guess what?"  
  
"What?" Ross asked.  
  
"I told you to guess," Chandler replied and then seeing the look on Ross' face continued. "My boss asked me to attend a conference in Chicago for work."  
  
"That's so weird," Monica said.  
  
"Why?" Chandler asked trying to hold back a smile. He and Monica had practiced this conversation a few times the previous day.  
  
"I'm going on a work trip next week, to." Neither of them were going on work trips. They were flying to London to celebrate their anniversary. They couldn't let their friends know the truth, because they didn't know they were dating. Except for Joey, of course, who knew and was playing along.  
  
"Wow!" Joey said. "What a coincidence!"  
  
Monica cringed at Joey's over-acting and glanced over at Chandler, who shrugged and then winked at her. She smiled and struggled to hold back a laugh. She managed to hide it by coughing. Their friends could be so oblivious at times. They didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.  
  
"So," Monica said, "you guys ready for dinner?"  
  
Dinner was uneventful. Ross talked about dinosaurs. Joey talked about the last girl he hooked up with. Rachel told every bit of gossip she had heard that day. Monica and Chandler talked about the 'work' trips they were going on and Phoebe put in her thoughts about every issue discussed, especially in fighting all of Ross's dinosaur theories.  
  
"Well, that was a great meal, Mon, but I should be going." Phoebe said when dinner was over.  
  
"Yah, me too," Ross said and Joey and Chandler nodded along.  
  
Everybody said goodbye to everyone else on the way out. Chandler smiled at Monica and gave her hand a quick squeeze as he walked out the door. They had learned to be very careful in hiding their relationship from their friends. They had kept it a secret for a while, because they didn't want to hurt their friends like Ross and Rachel did if they broke up. It soon became apparent to them that they were in for the long run, but then they didn't know how to tell their friends after hiding it for so long.  
  
* * * *  
  
That night Monica lay awake in bed. She couldn't sleep. She glanced over at her alarm clock. It read 12:54. She sighed and sat up. After contemplating for a moment, she got out of bed and walked across the hall. She quietly opened the door to Joey and Chandler's apartment. It was dark inside as she slowly closed the door. She crossed the living room to Chandler's door. It was pitch black, but she knew where she was going. She'd done it many times before. She opened the door to find Chandler fast asleep. She smiled, as she loved to watch him sleep. He always looked so cute and peaceful.  
  
Monica quietly crossed the room and slipped into bed beside Chandler. Even though he was asleep, instinct took over and he wrapped his arms around Monica and pulled her closer. Monica smiled and promptly fell asleep.  
  
* * * *  
  
Two days later Monica and Chandler finished saying goodbye to Ross, Rachel and Phoebe. Joey was on set shooting a new movie. They got into the waiting cab and drove away. Their friends believed they were flying out to two different places and were simply sharing a cab to the airport.  
  
"Home free," Chandler said as they pulled away. He put his arm around Monica's shoulders and leaned over to kiss her temple.  
  
Monica smiled. "They have no idea. I never thought we could pull that off," she answered.  
  
They arrived at the airport, checked in their bags and proceeded through customs. While waiting to board the plane Chandler noticed Monica looking somewhat nervous.  
  
"You okay, sweetie?"  
  
Monica looked up into his eyes, showing nothing but love and concern. She offered a small smile and shrugged. "I don't know," she answered. "I just- I just feel a little nervous. But, I mean, I've never liked flying."  
  
"There's nothing to worry about, Mon. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." He pulled her into a hug.  
  
Monica reveled in the feeling of being in his arms. "I love you." She told him.  
  
"I know," Chandler said jokingly.  
  
Monica sighed and smiled. She knew he'd never change, but that was one of the many things she loved about him.  
  
He smiled at her. "I love you to." He said.  
  
"I know," Monica replied, in the same way Chandler had. He smiled at her as they moved to board the plane, having no idea what was going to happen in a very short time.  
  
* * * *  
  
Ross, Rachel and Phoebe are drinking coffee in Central Perk.  
  
"Well, I guess it's just us this week," Ross said.  
  
"Joey's still here," Rachel replied.  
  
"Yes, but he's going to be filming all week. We probably won't see him." Ross pointed out.  
  
"I don't know, I think he'll make some time for his friends."  
  
"I doubt it."  
  
"Oh, he will. Phoebe's with me." Rachel got no reply from her. "Phoebe, you okay over there?"  
  
"Oh," Phoebe said. "Yah, of course he will."  
  
"You okay, Pheeb's," Ross asked.  
  
"Yah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess." She smiled and Ross and Rachel dropped it. She was good at looking fine on the outside. On the inside, however, she was not fine. She had woken up that morning with a slight feeling of dread. It has grown during the day. She was sure it was nothing, but she couldn't help but worry.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Thank-you," Chandler replied to the stewardess as she gave him and Monica their dinners. He set Monica's down in front of her. She grimaced as she looked over the food. She looked at Chandler, who had a similar look on his face.  
  
They ate what they could and their plates were collected. They then settled down for a long wait. Chandler put his arm around Monica and she rested her head on his shoulder as they attempted to go to sleep.  
  
Right as Chandler was drifting off, the plane severely lurched. He jolted alert immediately. Monica did the same. They looked at each other and the plane lurched again.  
  
An announcement came over the system. "This is your pilot speaking. We are experiencing slight technical difficulties. We are making a u-turn and are making an emergency landing on the first runway we come to. Please do not panic."  
  
Monica gasped and paled slightly. Chandler grabbed her hand and proceeded to pull her into a hug.  
  
"It's gonna be okay, okay?"  
  
Monica nodded her head against his chest.  
  
"It's gonna be okay," he repeated to himself. "It's gonna be okay."  
  
* * * *  
  
Phoebe lay awake in bed. The sense of doom had escalated and she couldn't sleep. She knew something bad was happening, but had no idea what.  
  
* * * *  
  
"We are nearing the coast. Thank-you all for your patience. We should be making our landing within the hour."  
  
Monica sighed and glanced at Chandler, who offered her a smile. He was being so good to her, staying calm and brave on the outside. On the inside, she knew he was just as terrified as she was.  
  
She closed her eyes and willed herself to stay calm. The plane lurched again and she stifled a scream. A loud crashing noise sounded and the plane dropped a good couple hundred feet before the pilot regained control. The oxygen masks dropped and Monica did scream this time, just as everyone else did.  
  
"Please remain calm and re…" An explosion, not far behind Monica and Chandler's seats, cut off the pilot. There was a blast of light and sound and the tail end of the plane fell off as the front made a nose dive.  
  
Everyone was screaming now, as it was clear to all, they weren't going to make an emergency landing, they weren't going to make any landing at all. They were falling fast.  
  
Chandler pulled Monica into a hug and held her close, trying to shelter her from the flames engulfing the plane. "I love you. I love you. I love you…" He repeated over and over.  
  
"I love you to. I love you to…" Monica repeated as she held on to Chandler for dear life. She had never been more terrified. She knew the end was near, very near. The only comfort she had was that she was going to be in Chandler's arms when she died.  
  
Chandler was no less terrified than Monica. He had seen them being together until they were old and wrinkly. He had looked forward to it. Now, all he could look forward to was spending his last few seconds with the only person he had ever really loved.  
  
The plane met the earth hard and everything went black.  
  
* * * *  
  
Back in New York, Phoebe sat bolt upright in bed. She was breathing fast and shallow, and her heart was racing. She gasped for breath, willing her body to breath slower. She was having a panic attack and had lost all ability to calm down. She grabbed for her phone and hit blindly for the speed dial, not caring whose number she hit as long as someone would pick- up.  
  
The phone rang in Ross' apartment and he sat up and shook his head. He glanced at his clock and grabbed the phone, wondering who would be calling him at 2 in the morning.  
  
"Hello?" He said.  
  
"Ross," he heard faintly, along with someone gasping for air.  
  
"Pheeb's, is that you?" he asked.  
  
"…help…please.."  
  
"I'm on my way," he answered and hung up the phone. He ran to the door grabbed his coat, threw on some shoes and hurried over to Phoebe's apartment.  
  
"Pheebs!?" he called out when he entered her apartment. He ran into her bedroom to find her sitting terrified against the wall on the floor beside her bed, rocking herself back and forth. She was panting and ghostly pale. She looked up at him when he entered. She was shaking and there were tears streaming down her face. He ran over and pulled her into a hug. "What's the matter, Pheeb's? What happened?"  
  
"I…don't ..kn-know." She answered.  
  
"It's okay, Pheeb's. It's okay." He repeated. "Deep breaths. Deep breaths."  
  
Phoebe calmed down slightly and began to gain control of her breathing. Just having someone there with her brought her back down to reality. A couple minutes later she was breathing more regularly and her heartbeat had slowed, somewhat. Ross released his hold on Phoebe just enough to reach for the phone. "I'm just gonna call Rachel, okay?" Phoebe nodded.  
  
"Phoebe? I'm here sweetie." Rachel called as she entered the apartment. She found Phoebe and Ross on the floor in the bedroom and simply joined in the hug. Phoebe was soon calm enough to get up. The three of them moved into the living room to the couch.  
  
"I tried to get Joey up, but he was out cold." Rachel said, "so it's just the three of us tonight."  
  
Phoebe smiled remembering their earlier conversation.  
  
"So, what happened?" Rachel asked. Phoebe explained how she had felt bad all day and it had gotten progressively worse until she had panicked and lost control. She then called Ross and they knew the rest. The three of them talked a little longer before deciding they would all stay at Phoebe's for the night and then Phoebe would stay with Rachel until Monica returned, if only they knew.  
  
"Let's watch a little TV before we go back to sleep, ok?" Ross said and Rachel and Phoebe nodded. They turned on to an old movie that they didn't really have to pay attention to. After an hour Phoebe was much calmer and Ross was about to turn off the TV when a late breaking story appeared across the screen.  
  
"We are sorry to cut scheduled programming, but an airplane traveling from the US to Europe has disappeared. The aircraft called in to report engine difficulties just after midnight. It turned back and we suddenly lost all contact with it. It is believed to have gone down in the Atlantic, as there are many reports of an explosion, not far off the coast. We will now return to regular scheduled programming."  
  
"Huh," Ross said as he turned off the TV. He was sure there would be more information the next day, but right now he had to worry about Phoebe, as he had no reason to worry about the plane and its passengers. Or so he thought.  
  
* * * *  
  
"And that's a wrap," the director called the next day. Joey took a sigh of relief. He was done shooting for the day. He had gotten home late the previous day and had been on set very early that morning. He had barely had time to eat or shower, but that was life in the biz. He smiled when he thought about that. The biz. He had finally made it, after so many years of trying. He finally had his big break.  
  
"Hey Jo, good work today," someone called.  
  
"Thanks Mark. You to." He called back.  
  
"Hey, have they found that plane yet?" he heard someone call.  
  
"What plane?" Joey asked, not having heard anything about a plane crash.  
  
"The plane they lost contact with over the Atlantic, didn't you see it on the news? It's huge."  
  
"No, I haven't heard a thing. Where was it going?"  
  
"Um, somewhere in England. London maybe?"  
  
Joey felt his blood run cold. "London?" he asked, "are-are you sure?"  
  
"Um pretty sure, why?"  
  
Joey ignored the question. "Where was it flying out from?"  
  
"Right here in New York," he answered. "Lost contact 'round 1 last night."  
  
"Oh my god," Joey whispered. "Oh my god."  
  
"What's the matter?" Joey didn't respond. "Jo? What's up?"  
  
"How do I get a hold of the airport?" Joey asked.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I need to find out if my friends were on that plane."  
  
* * * *  
  
Joey ran up the stairs to Monica and Rachel's apartment, taking the stairs two at a time. He flung open the door to find Rachel, Ross and Phoebe watching news on the crash.  
  
The three looked up to find Joey at the door out of breath, tears streaming down his face.  
  
"Joey, you okay? What's the matter?" Rachel asked getting up and walking over to him.  
  
It was then that he realized they didn't know. He had called the airport to find Monica and Chandler's names on the list of passengers and rushed home to be with his friends. But, they didn't know their friends had been on the plane. They just thought Monica and Chandler were both safe and sound on their work trips. Joey tried to speak, but found nothing to say. How do you tell your best friends that two of their best friends had been secretly dating for a year and had lied about where they were going, to celebrate their anniversary, and now were presumed dead? He collapsed to the floor and stopped trying to control the inevitable flow of tears.  
  
Rachel, Ross and Phoebe rushed to his side asking what was wrong, but he was unable to answer. He hated himself for what he was about to do. He had to give the worst news possible to the people he loved the most.  
  
After calming down a bit, Joey sat all three friends at the table and began. "Guys," he started, "there's something I need to tell you."  
  
"Joey, are you okay?" Phoebe asked, "You're scaring me."  
  
"You'll understand in a minute, Pheeb's just listen. Can you guys just listen to what I have to say before saying anything?" Everyone nodded.  
  
"Um, Oh God, where do I even begin?" He asked himself. "M-Monica and Chandler have been, um, together for .."  
  
"What do you mean together?" Ross asked.  
  
"I mean together-together. Like dating together." Joey answered.  
  
"Dating, what do you mean dat…"  
  
"You said you'd let me talk." Joey snapped. Then took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "They got together in London," he said, then continued. "A year ago. They told you they were going on work trips, but really they were planning on going away to celebrate their anniversary. In London." No one seemed to understand. Joey glanced at the TV, still reporting the accident. He began to brake down again as the tears started once more. "They were on that plane." He said nodded towards it.  
  
No one said or did anything for a few moments. Ross and Rachel went straight into denial, claiming there was no way it was true. It couldn't be true. Phoebe simply sat there quietly. She now realized why she had felt so bad the day before and why she had the panic attack. She realized this and a single tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
* * * * 


	2. Alive?

The four remaining friends, after hearing the biggest shock of their lives, sat on the floor in one big group hug crying. They lost all track of time. When they finally calmed down enough to move to the couch and talk, Joey had no idea how long they had been there for. All he knew was it was light when he had raced home from the set and now when he looked out the window, it was dark. He looked at his friends, their facial expressions matching exactly what he was feeling inside. He was devastated and felt numb inside. It was like this was all just a bad dream. A nightmare. It had to be. He would just wake up any minute now and his friends would be happy and alive, celebrating their anniversary. Their anniversary. 'Oh God' he thought, when he realized their anniversary was in only a couple of hours. At least they had had one year together. He felt the tears come again and didn't have the energy to fight it. He broke down and collapsed onto the couch.  
  
Rachel watched Joey break down, again and rushed to hug him. She felt like he looked. All she wanted to do was wake up and have this all be a dream. But, in reality, she knew it was no dream. It was a horrible reality. It felt so surreal. 'I can't believe this is happening,' she thought. 'What are we going to do without them?' With this she joined Joey in his grieving.  
  
Ross felt numb inside. Totally and completely numb. He knew he should be feeling devastated. He just lost his best friend and his sister, but he couldn't fell a thing. It was his body's way of dealing with the situation. He glanced at Joey and Rachel crying on the couch and Phoebe sitting alone on the chair, not moving, or crying, just staring into thin air. He almost wished he could be feeling what they were, so he could comfort and be comforted by them. He shook his head, trying to form a thought and realized he needed to do what Joey had done. He had to let his parents know. He closed his eyes and sighed.  
  
Phoebe snapped out of it when she heard Ross sigh. She looked up at him, trying to figure out what he was feeling. His face showed no expression. She felt awful. It was like it was so awful that crying wasn't enough. It didn't even touch on what she was feeling. Phoebe had been through a lot in her life. She had never had real stability until she had met Monica and was immediately accepted into a very close group of friends. She had actually allowed herself to believe that the bad parts of her life were over, but now, she realized you never really know. She continued watching Ross as he picked up the phone and began to dial. Phoebe didn't understand why he would be calling anyone at this time, until she heard his first words.  
  
"Hi dad, is mom there?" A pause, "I think you should both sit down. I need to tell you something."  
  
Ross sighed as he heard his mothers reply. "What's the matter, Ross? You sound so upset. Is something wrong? Is it work? Ben?…"  
  
Ross cut her off. "It's Monica," he stated, no emotion in his voice.  
  
"What's wrong with your sister now? Did she get fired again? Evicted? Oh, let me guess. She got herself knocked u.."  
  
"Mom! What the hell is your problem! What do you have against your own daughter? She's a good person. You never give her enough credit. Did you know that? Did you know that your own daughter doesn't think you love her? Did you know she thinks you hate her, that you regret having her?" Ross realized he was making a mistake yelling at his mother and took a deep breath.  
  
"Ross, dear, I'm sorry. I didn't realize Monica felt that way. I'll make sure to tell he that, next time I see her."  
  
"That'll never happen," Ross said, then realized what he was saying and realized that he would most likely never see his sister again. For the first time since Joey came running in the door, he felt pain and he broke down. He collapsed to the floor, clutching onto the phone, like it was his link to reality. He heard his mother and father calling through the phone for him to talk to them, tell them what was wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to say a word. Phoebe saw this and got up. She sat beside Ross on the floor and put his head in her lap to let him cry. She then pulled the phone out of his fingers and put it to her ear.  
  
"Mr. And Mrs. Gellar?" she said into the phone.  
  
"Phoebe, is that you? What's wrong with Ross? Is everything okay?"  
  
"Um, I don't really know if I'm the right person to tell you this," she said.  
  
"Phoebe, what's wrong?" Judy said into the phone, concern in her voice.  
  
"Um, Oh God, how do I even begin? Um, well, you see.."  
  
"Phoebe," Judy demanded. "Tell me what is wrong."  
  
"Okay. Okay. I'm assuming you've heard about that plane crash, on the news, right?"  
  
"Oh course," Judy answered, fear inching into her voice, "but what does that have to do with Monica."  
  
"Well, she was, kinda, on it."  
  
"What do you mean she was on…" Phoebe closed her eyes as she talked to Monica's parents. She spent half an hour trying to convince them it was true, that Monica was gone. Probably forever.  
  
When she finally hung up, Ross was still clinging to her for dear life, and Joey and Rachel had turned on the television to look for new news.  
  
"A section of the aircraft that disappeared off of radar early this morning has been found floating 200 miles of the coast. No passengers have been found at this time, but we are remaining hopeful, as we can now narrow our search area."  
  
Rachel hugged Joey closer and closed her eyes. He looked down at her and attempted to offer a small smile. He failed miserably and sighed. They were in for a long wait for information, and there was nothing they could do to make it go any faster. He felt Rachel lean against his shoulder and slowly fell into an emotionally exhausted sleep. He envied her, that she could get away from reality, if only for a few hours.  
  
* * * *  
  
A few hours earlier…  
  
Monica awoke with a start. She lifted her head off of Chandler's shoulder in an attempt to look around. Where was she? She shook her head and pushed herself up, off of Chandler, smiling when she felt his arms around her. As soon as she put weight on her left arm, it collapsed and she fell back onto him. It was then that she realized he felt cold and his skin was a bluish color. And didn't seem to be moving. 


	3. Saying Goodbye

Chapter 3  
  
Monica panicked and immediately sat up glancing over Chandler, looking for some sign of life. She vaguely recalled what had happened to them. She remembered the plane having problems and the explosion, but not much after that. She quickly put her fingers under his chin, desperately searching for a pulse. She couldn't find one and scanned her memory, attempting to remember the first aid course she had taken in college. She drew a blank and began to cry. Seconds before she gave up she located a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. More tears of came, tears of relief. She called his name, louder and louder, until he responded.  
  
"Not now. Mon. Too tired," he said, groggily, without opening his eyes. He felt exhausted and had not yet realized where he was, nor remembered what had happened.  
  
"Chandler, sweetie, you need to wake up. Please." Monica pleaded. She desperately needed assurance that he would be okay. She watched as he shook his head and grimaced, a pained expression crossed his face and he slowly opened his eyes.  
  
Chandler's head felt like it was going to explode. He couldn't think straight and all his mind registered was Monica was upset and was begging him to wake up. He slowly opened his eyes, his sight a little fuzzy and sat up. He felt Monica throw her arms around his neck and bury her face in his shoulder. She was crying, a lot. He put his arms around and simply held her close, trying to get a hold of reality. His sight began to clear a little, as he looked around, and wondered where the hell they were.  
  
They appeared to be sitting on a beach with, what looked like, scrap metal, people and luggage. He glanced out across the water body along the beach. It seemed to go on forever. It occurred to him that their plane had crashed, but he had no recollection of it. He decided he could worry about that later and returned his attention to Monica.  
  
"I thought you were dead." He heard her whisper. "I thought you were dead."  
  
"It's okay, Mon. It's okay." He said, trying to comfort her. "I'm right here. I'm alive. Mon?" she didn't seem to be responding. He gently lifted her head off his shoulder and put his finger under her chin, forcing her to make eye contact with him. "I'm okay, okay?"  
  
She nodded and put her head back on his shoulder.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. Again she nodded, without saying a word. "Can you say something, Mon, please? You're scaring me."  
  
"I'm okay," Monica answered. "I think." She looked up and he offered a small smile, which she returned. He leaned down and gave her a light, reassuring, kiss.  
  
"Let's go see if we can be of help," he said glancing to the people lying on the beach, no more than ten feet from them.  
  
* * * *  
  
Rachel awoke to find herself in Joey's arms, on the couch in her apartment. She saw Ross, still asleep on the chair and glanced around to find Phoebe, sitting on the windowsill. Phoebe was staring off into space, crying silently. The events of the previous day came rushing back to Rachel.  
  
Trying not to wake up Joey, she attempted to pull herself out of his arms. He immediately woke up and looked at her. "I'm going to look for some news." She said as she turned the television on.  
  
Ross woke up to this and Phoebe came to join everyone else. They flipped through the channels to find a news station.  
  
"A section of the passenger seating was found early this morning, along with 13 casualties."  
  
Joey quickly drew in a breath and felt the tears coming back. He felt himself begin to shake and pulled Rachel close, again. She had become a great comfort to him. He looked around, to find everyone else in the room looking devastated.  
  
Ross spoke up first, "I-I'm just going to call the airlines to find out if they were, well, you know, found."  
  
* * * *  
  
Monica winced as she looked down at her arm. She had soon discovered that she couldn't move or put any weight on it. It was swollen and black. She would kill for a painkiller. She and Chandler had found 5 others alive, one of which-named Daniel- was a doctor. He was currently splinting Monica's arm, using everything they had available. This included sticks and strips of Chandler's shirt, which he had immediately given up to help her. Other parts of his shirt had also gone to bandage the deep wound he found on his leg and to help splint and bandage various wounds found on the other survivors.  
  
The others included Tanya and Michelle Smith, who were sisters, just out of university, planning on backpacking around Europe with their friends Amanda and Katie. Amanda had been found dead on the beach and Katie had not been found. Tanya and Michelle were devastated and were crying and hugging not far down the beach. They were only in their early twenties and were scared. Very scared.  
  
Lisa and Gordon were also found alive, Lisa with a broken leg. Monica had not yet had a conversation with either of them, so knew very little about both of them. She had discovered that they were both traveling alone and assumed Lisa was English by her accent.  
  
Daniel had treated all of their injuries. He had splinted Lisa's leg, determined Chandler had gone into shock, which explained his bluish color and weak pulse, and he was now splinting Monica's arm. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. At first the shock of the accident and her concern for Chandler had prevented her from feeling the pain, but now, the pain was awful. She looked over, into Chandler's eyes, which showed concern. He offered her a smile and held onto her hand, wishing there was something he could do.  
  
When Daniel was finished, Chandler let out a small laugh and pulled Monica into a hug. "Happy anniversary," he whispered into her ear. She hugged him closer and whished they had stayed home to celebrate.  
  
The next day.  
  
"Does anyone remember what happened?" Chandler asked. The seven of them were sitting around a fire on the beach. Gordon, who was a smoker, had found a package of matches in his pocket and they had built a small fire. They had managed, after a lot of trying, to catch a few fish, which they had cooked and were currently eating.  
  
"The last thing I remember was an explosion," Tanya said and everyone else nodded.  
  
"Explosion?" Chandler asked.  
  
"You don't remember that?" Monica, who was sitting beside Chandler, leaning against his shoulder, asked.  
  
"No. The last thing I remember was eating the airplane food, which, by the way I would gladly eat right now." He said. Everyone laughed at this.  
  
"Are you two married?" Lisa asked.  
  
Chandler looked down at Monica before answering. "Uh, no," he said. "We were actually going to London to celebrate out anniversary."  
  
"Why were you going to London, if you don't mind me asking?"  
  
"That's where we got together." Monica answered. "We were friends for years, but we never got closer until London."  
  
"Why were you in London?"  
  
"My brothers wedding."  
  
"Oh, well, good for him."  
  
"Not really," Chandler said and then to everyone's confused looks. "Can you tell me the worst place to say the wrong name? And I don't mean in bed."  
  
"Oh my god," Lisa said. "Your brother, his name isn't Ross, is it?"  
  
"Yes, how did you know?" Monica asked.  
  
"I know Emily." Lisa answered. She tells the story often, he's like her very favorite person in the world." She said sarcastically. It was a much needed relief from reality for the entire group of survivors.  
  
* * * *  
  
Three days later.  
  
Joey looked around the room at his three remaining friends. They sat in Rachel's apartment, watching the news. They had been there all day, and all day yesterday and the day before and so on. He glanced at his watch. 7:28. Ross had contacted the airline to find their friends had not been found with the other casualties. Many more had been discovered, floating in the ocean, dead. None of them being their friends. This meant there was hope, right? He sighed. He almost wished they had been found. Then this would be over. He hated himself for thinking it, but he, along with Rachel, Ross and Phoebe, had just been waiting. And it was killing him. He wanted- no he needed- to know, one way or another he needed to know if Monica and Chandler were alive or dead. His attention shifted when an updated news bulletin appeared across the screen.  
  
"It has been five days since we lost contact with the aircraft. Although we have found bits and pieces scattered about the ocean, we have to face facts. The remaining sections of the aircraft are believed to be on the ocean bedrock, in a 50-mile radius approximately 150 miles off the coast. We have decided to cease our search, as the resources are needed elsewhere and we have not to this point found anyone alive. We are declaring all passengers on the aircraft deceased. Our prayers and sympathy are with the family and friends of these unfortunate individuals. I'm sorry."  
  
Joey felt like he had been punched in the gut. Here it was. The news he had been waiting for. No more waiting. He now wished he could wait longer, in hopes they would announce they had found his friends. But, it was over. No more hope. Monica and Chandler were gone, forever. He felt Rachel, who was beside him, begin to cry and joined in, as did Ross and Phoebe.  
  
* * * *  
  
Chandler sighed as he sorted through yet another suitcase full of personal items, knowing the owner of them was probably dead. They had decided that they may not be found for a little while and had also decided to open the suitcases found on the beach. So far they had a variety of clothing, toiletries and nicnacs.  
  
"Why don't people ever travel with useful items?" Chandler muttered to himself. "Like tents and packaged food and water purification kits?" He glanced over to see Monica laughing at him. "What?"  
  
"Nothing," Monica said smiling. "You're just so funny. I mean, why would people take that with them on a plane ride?"  
  
"In case they're in the same situation as us," he countered, jokingly.  
  
"Honey," she said, "I don't think anyone ever plans to be stranded on a deserted island due to a plane crash, waiting for someone to find them, their friends and family fearing them dead.Oh my God."  
  
"What?" Chandler asked concerned at the look on Monica's face.  
  
"They think we're dead, don't they?"  
  
"I-I guess." Chandler answered. "I just never really thought of it before. It's kinda weird, isn't it? I mean we're here and we know were alive, but they're probably at home thinking they'll never see us again."  
  
"This is so surreal," Monica said. "I mean it still doesn't seem like it happened." Monica cut off as she felt tears spring to her eyes.  
  
"Oh, sweetie," Chandler said pulling her into his arms. "It's gonna be okay."  
  
"How do you know that?" Monica asked. "What if they never find us? What if we're stuck on this stupid island for the rest of our lives? What if." She cut off again crying into Chandler's shoulder.  
  
"They'll find us, Mon," he said. "Maybe not today or even tomorrow, but one day, they will find us. I promise. We will get off this island. We will see our friends again. The important thing is that we're here and we're together, okay?"  
  
Monica nodded and looked up into his eyes. They were filled with concern. "I love you," she whispered.  
  
"I love you, to," he answered and leaned down to kiss her. She responded immediately and kissed him back. He slowly broke off and pulled her into a long hug. He felt so lucky. It was ironic. He was stranded on a deserted island, and couldn't even depend on having a next meal, but he felt lucky. He had Monica. Something triggered in his mind.  
  
"They didn't know," he whispered. "Only Joey knew."  
  
"What?" Monica asked confused.  
  
"Only Joey knew we were on the plane. He was the only one who knew we were together. The gang didn't even know."  
  
"Oh my God," Monica said. "You're right. I wonder what Joey told them."  
  
* * * *  
  
Two days later.  
  
Joey glanced around at all the sad faces in front of him, as he stood at the podium, about to recite his speech. All one hundred or so people, all wearing black, here to say their final goodbyes to Monica and Chandler. They had decided to do the memorials together. Although it was a shock to all that they had been together, Joey had convinced them of how close Monica and Chandler had been and he knew they would have happy to be said goodbye to together. He almost smiled as he remembered them together. They were so happy. So in love. He was sure that, given the chance, they would have been together forever. But, they had never gotten that chance. It was so unfair. Monica and Chandler had both had hard lives and had finally been truly happy, just to have it taken away from them. Joey looked over at Nora Bing and the devastated look on her face. She had never been a good mother to Chandler, but she had always loved him. Joey recalled his last conversation with the woman. He had been the one to tell her...  
  
"Hello?" Joey heard Nora's voice filter through the phone.  
  
"Hi," he said. "It's Joey," he hesitated. " Chandler's roommate."  
  
"Hello, Joey. What a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"  
  
"Well, Nora, I need you to sit down. There's something I have to tell you."  
  
"What is it Joey? Are you all right? Is Chandler all right?" He detected a note of worry in her voice. He almost chickened out and told her he was fine. Chandler was fine. Everything was fine. But he couldn't bring himself to say that to her.  
  
"It's Chandler," he said, trying to hold bank the tears. "He was on the plane that crashed over the Atlantic."  
  
"He was what? Why? Why was he on the plane? Are you sure he was on the plane?"  
  
"I'm sure. He and Monica were traveling to London to celebrate their anniversary." Joey didn't realize Nora might not know about the couple.  
  
"Monica?" Nora asked confused. "That pretty girl he was friends with?"  
  
"Yah, that Monica. I'm sorry, I guess you didn't know about them. Don't worry, few did." Nora didn't respond. "Nora? I'm really, really sorry. I know that me loosing two best friends is nothing to loosing a son, but I can sympathize with you. I feel like I lost two close members of my family. It feels awful and there are times where I don't think the pain will stop. I still can't believe they are gone."  
  
"Was-was he happy?" Nora asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" Joey asked confused.  
  
"Was he happy before he- before he died?" She choked the last word out.  
  
"He was happier than I've ever seen him before. He and Monica, they were meant to be. and they only had one year together." Joey lost it and broke down into tears.  
  
"Thank-you for calling me, Joey," Nora told him and then continued, in an attempt to give Joey some comfort, "I know Chandler loved having you as a roommate. You were a great friend to him. Don't you ever forget that."  
  
Joey forced himself back to reality. He saw Nora glance at him and they shared a look of understanding. Joey took a deep breath and began.  
  
"I only knew Monica and Chandler for a couple years, but that was more than enough. They were wonderful people, both of them. Chandler was always supportive of my career, paying the bills; buying the pizza.He never lost faith in me. And Monica was always there with food, when Chandler didn't buy pizza." A few people laughed at this. Joey was glad. He knew his friends would want a happy goodbye. "Although few of you knew Monica and Chandler as a couple, I did. I discovered them, just a few months into their relationship. As most of you know, they were on that plane to celebrate their anniversary. One year. That's all they got together. The only comfort I get from this is that they were happy. Their last year alive was their happiest." Joey began to cry and stepped down. He glanced at his friend's faces, in the dream he had yet to wake up from.  
  
Rachel began to cry, again as she listened to the end on Joey's speech. She had thought she was all cried out, but she was wrong. Her best friend, since kindergarten, was gone. She wished she had known the two as a couple, because although it seemed impossible at first, she now saw them as the perfect couple. Everything made sense now. Why Monica didn't want to go out with the male nurse at the hospital, why she had spent so much time doing laundry, everything. Joey walked towards his friends and she pulled him into a hug. She was so thankful to have him. Ross was over with his parents, so Rachel pulled Phoebe into the hug.  
  
Phoebe listened to Joey's speech closely. It was perfect. She knew her friends, who she was sure were listening, would be happy with it. She was absolutely devastated with the death of her friends. She owed them so much. They had given her stability and for the first time in her life, a family and love. Although she was not biologically related to them, they were her family and she loved them. And now they were gone. She was glad when Rachel pulled her into a hug, with Joey. This was all she had left.  
  
Ross numbly hugged his mother as Joey finished his speech. They made eye contact and Ross nodded. He had been glad Joey had offered to do the speech. Not only did Joey know them as a couple, but Ross knew he wouldn't be able to do it. He still couldn't believe what had happened. He had lost his sister and his best friend. His mother was crying hysterically now and his father took over. Ross was grateful for this, as it was not really where he belonged at the moment. He walked over to his friends and silently joined in the hug. He felt the tears come and did nothing to stop them. All he could think of was poor Monica and Chandler, as he grieved for them with his close group of friends-his family-who had been cut down from six to four.  
  
Note: I purposely left out flight numbers and airline names etc for obvious reasons. Thanks for reading this far. Please review, to let me know if you like it. It's only going to be 2 or 3 more chapters. 


	4. Hope?

Chapter 4  
  
  
  
1 Month Later.  
  
The 7 survivors huddled around the small fire on the edge of the beach on the small island they had found themselves on. It was no more then 3 miles long and 2 across. A beach lined 3 out of 4 sides; the 4th being a cliff. The interior consisted of forest and field like areas. It was almost like an overgrown recreational park. They could not see land in any direction, but assumed which way the coast was as the wind was coldest from one direction, which they assumed was from the ocean. The other was obviously the coast. This was the side they 'lived' on. If you could call it living that is.  
  
They slept in make shift tents, consisting of scrap metal, from the crash, and dead trees. They had nothing waterproof, other than a few small raincoats, found in the suitcases. Thank-god people thought it was rainy in England and packed accordingly.  
  
Their meals consisted mainly of fish, if they caught any. They had become better at catching fish. Makeshift nets had been made, using string from clothing and plants. They had tried using spears, but it was a lot more difficult than the movies made it out to be. They also gathered fruits found on the trees, but many were rotten, unripe or inedible.  
  
Monica sat in front of Chandler, leaning up against him. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her, in an attempt to keep her warm. The island had become very cold lately, as winter was fast approaching. He could feel Monica's ribs. She had lost a lot of weight, as they all had. They had very little to eat. He was terrified as to what the winter would bring. Would they all live through it? Would any of them live through it? He prayed every day to be found. It had been over a month since the crash. His cut had healed into a jagged scar. Monica's arm hadn't healed, or at least not well. Most of the time it hung uselessly at her side. She couldn't hold any weight and could barely use her fingers. On Daniel's advice, she often massaged it, in an attempt to keep circulation, so there would be hope for the arm, if and when they were rescued.  
  
Monica sighed and leaned back, closer to Chandler. He responded and tightened his arms around her. She smiled faintly. She couldn't believe what their lives had been reduced to.  
  
"They probably think we're dead," Lisa said, saying what everyone was thinking. "I bet they stopped their search and declared us dead. They'll never find us. They're not even looking anymore. We'll never get off this stupid island. Never." She trailed off, crying. They were all at the end of their ropes. Daniel, who was sitting beside her, pulled her into a hug. It was a little more than friendly, as the two had grown close over their time together.  
  
"They'll find us," Daniel told her, comfortingly. "They'll find us." He repeated, louder, to everyone. We can't be far off the coast. Someone will spot us eventually."  
  
Gordon nodded. "If my calculations are correct, we are further north than we were supposed to be, so it's just going to take longer. That's all."  
  
"But how much longer?" Tanya asked. She and her sister Michelle were huddled together, shivering. "I mean, we've been here more than a month, which means it's now October. I don't want to be here for the winter. It's cold enough already."  
  
"We won't know until they find us, but it will happen. It could be hours, days, weeks, months or even years, but it will."  
  
"Years?" Amanda spoke up. "No way. A year? Could it really be a for them to find us?"  
  
  
  
Approximately eleven months later.  
  
Monica stepped out of her and Chandler's makeshift tent and saw all 6 other survivors yelling and cheering. There was a helicopter on the beach. She cheered and ran towards them. They all got on the helicopter and the doors closed. She frantically called out for them to open the door. For them to take her with them, but it lifted slowly off the ground, leaving her behind. The last thing she saw was Chandler's face, on the other side of the window, waving goodbye.  
  
Monica jolted awake and sat up, squinting her eyes, in an attempt to focus on her surroundings. She began to cry, as she realized she was all alone on the island. Suddenly she felt Chandler's arms around her and his soothing voice.  
  
"Shhh Sweetie. It's okay. It was just a dream. Shhh."  
  
Monica through her arms around him, in relief, and buried her head in his shoulder. A few minutes went by.  
  
"What was it this time, Mon?" She had been having bad dreams lately.  
  
"Everyone left me," she said, "A helicopter came and everyone else got on it and left me behind.It was so real." She broke off crying again.  
  
"Oh, sweetie, we would never do that. You know that. I would never, ever leave you. Ever. I promise." Chandler kissed her lightly on the forehead.  
  
"I know," Monica answered. "It just seemed so real."  
  
"I have an idea, let's get up and go for a swim, 'kay?"  
  
"Okay." Monica said. She knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.  
  
The two changed into bathing suits (thank god people took bathing suits to England) and headed towards the water. It was cold, but they were used to it, as they had been in the day before and the day before that and so on. They planned to be in the next day and the day after that, and so on. It was funny. Not long after their talk around the fire, they had begun to talk about 'tomorrows' and 'next weeks' on the island. They had realized they wouldn't be found anytime soon and had gotten used to their new lives. They still hoped and prayed about being rescued, but didn't expect it anytime soon.  
  
Monica gently hit Chandler as she ran by him, yelling 'your it'. He broke into a run after her. She had a good head start, but as the water got deeper, he would get closer, as his legs were longer. They had discovered that this stretch of land, under the water, got no deeper than 4, or so, feet for a long distance. Monica glanced back and screamed when she saw how close he was. He was closing in fast. He dove forward and grabbed Monica around the waist as he went down, taking her with him. They came up gasping for breath and Chandler pulled Monica closer to him. She smiled and kissed him, long and hard. The couple loved this time of day. It was so peaceful and quiet. They could act like normal people, with normal lives. He ended the kiss suddenly and took off, after yelling 'your it'. Monica rolled her eyes and took off after him.  
  
Half an hour later, both Monica and Chandler, completely exhausted, collapsed on the beach, not far from the water. Chandler glanced down at his watch, which he was thankful was still working, and saw it was 5 am. It then dawned on him. The date. One year.  
  
"Wow," he said quietly.  
  
"What?" Monica asked.  
  
"It's been one year." He answered. "One year ago today our plane crashed."  
  
"Wow," Monica said, echoing Chandler's wow. "One year. That's a long time. A really long time. How much longer do you think we'll be here?"  
  
"I don't know, Mon. I really don't know. I wish I did."  
  
"Do you think we'll be here a year from now? Or two?"  
  
"I hope not." Chandler pulled Monica into a hug. They sat there together and watched the sun come up.  
  
  
  
Back in New York.  
  
Rachel lay awake in bed and glanced at the alarm clock. It read 5:00 AM. She sighed. She had barely gotten any sleep the night before. It was the anniversary of the crash. She had lost her best friends one year ago today. She sighed again and rolled over. She smiled slightly when she saw Joey sound asleep beside her. The two had grown close after the crash, relying on each other for support. It hadn't taken long for them to cross the line between friends and more then friends. They had officially been together for 10 months. It had surprised their remaining friends, but they had been glad that Rachel and Joey were happy. The loss of Chandler and Monica had hit them all hard and they had matured a lot. All of them. Following the death of his sister, Ross had thrown himself into his work. He was now a professor at the local college and taught many classes. He hadn't had a girlfriend for a year and didn't seem interested in having one. It was like he was afraid to lose her, even if he didn't have her. He had lost many people he loved in a short time and it had taken its toll on him. First Carol, then his Nana, Emily and now Monica and Chandler.  
  
Phoebe had changed dramatically. For the first time in her life she had had stability and had been happy. She had great friends who she loved and who loved her. Even though they were not related they were her family. Her wonderful life had suddenly been thrown into chaos. She realized that no matter what she did, life would never be easy and good to her. She had lost that free spirit that made her who she was. She no longer sang those silly songs or told silly stories. She had matured well past her age. Her eyes, once full of life, now showed clearly the hell she had been through in her life. She would never be able to go back to who she was.  
  
Rachel gave up trying to sleep and silently got out of bed. She walked over to the window ledge and sat down. She leaned up against the window and began to cry. This was all too much. She missed Monica so much. She had been like a sister to her for so long. Her best friend. Rachel regretted never letting Monica know how important she had been in her life. Rachel was independent from her father now. She paid her own bills and made her own decisions. She owed all of this to Monica. She felt the tears come faster now and she had no way of stopping them. Suddenly she felt a strong pair of arms around her. She knew it was Joey without turning around.  
  
"I miss them so much," she said.  
  
"I know, Rach. So do I." Joey Sat down beside her and pulled her into his lap. She buried her head in his shoulder and cried. Life could be so cruel, Joey thought. Why were their friends taken away from them? He sighed and hugged Rachel harder. He was so grateful to have her.  
  
The gang had changed during the year. They depended on each other and clung together. They no longer sat for hours, drinking coffee. They didn't waist time anymore. Those days were over. They had died with Monica and Chandler. Some days were better than others. The last couple months were okay, but this was the first anniversary of the crash. It was sure to bring up emotions.  
  
A couple hours later.  
  
Ross, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe made their way through the cemetery. Although their bodies had never been found, both Monica and Chandler's parents had wanted gravestones. The gang reached the graves and put down flowers. They all stood there for a few minutes, no one knowing what to say. Phoebe suddenly felt a lump in her throat and as much as she tried to stop them, the tears came. She broke down and collapsed onto the ground. Ross immediately sat down beside her and pulled her into a hug. He also began to cry. Rachel and Joey soon followed, joining their friends on the ground.  
  
Joey decided he would start. "Well, hi guys," he said, addressing the graves. "How are you doing? It's been one year and we really miss you."  
  
"A lot," Rachel finished. "I wish every day that you weren't on that plane. How different would our lives be? They'd be a lot better. That's for sure."  
  
"Joey told us you were together," Ross said. " I wish we had known. I'm glad you were happy, both of you. I would have loved to have had you for a brother, Chandler."  
  
"I'm glad you were happy, too. We all are." Phoebe said. "I'm sure you're happy and together wherever you are right now. We'll see each other again, eventually and until then. We love and we miss you and happy anniversary tomorrow."  
  
The four began to cry harder and all joined into one big hug.  
  
  
  
One year later.  
  
As they had done the previous year, Monica and Chandler sat together on the beach and watched the sun rise. This time they were not alone. The other five survivors were sitting there with them.  
  
"Two years," Chandler said.  
  
"Do you think we'll be here in a year saying 'three years'?" Lisa asked.  
  
"I don't know. I hope not," Chandler answered. " But, I said that last year and here we are. Still here."  
  
"Sometimes I wonder if I even want to go back," Gordon said. Everyone looked at him, confused looks on their faces. "I mean what is going to be left for us, back home. I'm married, but how do I know my wife hasn't found someone else. I mean, she thinks I'm dead. What's stopping her?"  
  
"I never thought of that," Daniel said. "I have two young kids. Are they even going to remember me?"  
  
"I wonder how much has changed since we left? You know. Who's died? Who was born? Who was married? Who's in office? Who has my old job?" Monica added to the conversation.  
  
"Hopefully we'll have answers to all those questions, very soon," Chandler, who had not added much to the conversation, said. He had been staring up at the sky. This caused everyone else to look up as well. What they saw amazed them. It was a small plane, traveling towards them. 


	5. As It Should Be

Note: Here is the last chapter. I'm very sorry it took so long, but have you ever nee in the situation where you go from being fairly busy to completely busy, with absolutely no spare time? Well, that's what happened to me. Again, I'm sorry and I hope you enjoy!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
Back in New York.  
  
The remainder of the gang sat in the living room of what was now Rachel and Joey's apartment. The four had already made their visit to the graveyard. Rachel and Joey sat together on one end of the couch and Phoebe sat on the other. Ross sat sideways on the chair, his feet hanging over an armrest. It was a Thursday, but the gang had all taken the day off of work. The doorbell rang and Rachel hopped up to answer it, knowing it was the pizza guy. Minutes later, she returned to the living room with the pizza.  
  
"You know," Joey started. "No matter how much I love pizza, I really miss Monica's cooking." The others nodded in agreement. They sat in silence for a few seconds, all lost in their own thought.  
  
"What do you miss the most about them?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I really miss having Chandler as a best friend," Joey said. "We had so much fun."  
  
"Yah," Rachel agreed. "That's exactly what I miss about Monica."  
  
Phoebe nodded in agreement. "Me to. I also miss Chandler's jokes. They were pretty awful at times, but I still miss them."  
  
"I know," Ross agreed. "No matter how depressed you were, he always seemed to be able to make you laugh." Ross sighed. "I really miss them." Everyone nodded.  
  
Joey broke through the tension, by reaching forward and grabbing the television remote, off of the coffee table. He turned the TV on and began flipping through channels, looking for something to watch. He flipped past a news channel, but something caught his eyes and he flipped back. What he saw and heard almost made his heart stop. Ross, Rachel and Phoebe had similar reactions.  
  
On the television screen was a reporter on a beach, showing footage of what looked like a camping site of some sort. There were odd looking tents made of scrap metal and sticks and a fire pit. It seemed to be an island of some sort.  
  
"Many of you remember the aircraft that went down over the Atlantic, two years ago today. Many lost friends and family in this tragedy. Today, on the two-year anniversary, we have good news. Seven survivors were picked up off of this very island, early this morning. Although their names have not been released we can tell you there were 6 individuals from New York and 1 individual from London area.."  
  
The gang looked at each other, all 4 of them shocked. "You don't think." Joey said, trailing off. Everyone else was speechless.  
  
"We have to call and find out." Ross said a few moments later.  
  
"Call who?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I don't know," Ross said. "We have to call someone." No one else said anything. "Who do we call? Who the hell do we call!?!"  
  
"I don't know, Ross." Phoebe answered. She moved towards Ross, attempting to calm him down. Rachel and Joey had their eyes and ears glued to the television screen, trying to get more information. All four were so preoccupied that none of them noticed the door to the apartment open. At the sound of someone clearing their throat, all four sets of eyes turned towards the sound.  
  
Joey's jaw dropped and his heart skipped a beat. Rachel's hand came to her mouth and tears came to her eyes. Phoebe gasped and stood staring, perfectly still. Ross started to cry.  
  
Chandler and Monica stood in the doorway, not sure of what to do, or say.  
  
"Oh my God," Phoebe said quietly. She then rushed across the room and threw her arms around Monica and then Chandler, hugging them both tightly. She was crying, as were Monica and Chandler. Rachel and Joey were next, taking turns hugging Chandler and Monica. Ross, slowly came forward and quickly hugged Chandler. He then pulled Monica into a hug and began to cry harder. All six were crying, but they were tears of happiness. They had been reunited.  
  
Minutes later the six were seated in the living room, around the coffee table. Monica, Chandler and Phoebe were on the couch, Rachel and Joey were sharing the chair and Ross sat on the floor by the TV.  
  
"I can't believe you guys are here," Rachel said, smiling. She was sitting beside Joey and he had his arm around her shoulder.  
  
"I can't believe it either. It was beginning to think we'd be stuck on that dammed island forever." Chandler said and Monica nodded along.  
  
"Wow," Joey said. "I can't believe you were on that island for two years. How did you stay alive?"  
  
"I really can't tell you," Monica answered. "I'll tell you this much, though, I never want to eat fish again, ever."  
  
Chandler nodded in agreement. "Me to." Everyone laughed.  
  
"So," Monica said to Rachel. "You and Joey."  
  
"I could say the same thing," Rachel countered, meaning Monica and Chandler.  
  
Monica smiled, as did Chandler. Chandler put his arm around Monica's waist and pulled her close. "Well, we tried to keep it a secret, but, you know, life happens," he said jokingly. Everyone laughed, it was good to have Chandler's jokes back.  
  
"Actually, we were trying to decide how to tell you," Monica said. "We just never got the chance."  
  
"Yah, you just go off and leave me to tell them," Joey said, jokingly.  
  
"Yah, sorry 'bout that, Jo." Chandler said. "We really couldn't do much about that."  
  
It was so great to have Monica and Chandler back, Phoebe thought. She looked her friends over and was sorry. Chandler wore a t-shirt and shorts. She could tell he had lost weight, a lot of weight, but had a larger amount of muscle tone on his arms and legs. She could also see a large, jagged scar on his leg. She assumed it was from the crash. He had other scars, smaller ones, on his arms, legs and one on his left cheekbone. Monica had somewhat less scaring, but seemed to be in worse shape than Chandler. She was extremely thin and bony. If Phoebe hadn't known better, she would have guessed Monica was severely anorexic. Monica had some scaring and her left arm seemed useless. It was slightly disfigured and she hadn't seen Monica use it since she walked in the door.  
  
"What's up with your arm, Mon?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"It broke in the crash and never really healed," Monica answered.  
  
"You should get it looked at," Ross put in. "It doesn't look very good."  
  
"I know," Monica said. "We have an appointment tomorrow, at the hospital. They're going to do all sorts of tests and stuff." Chandler nodded.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The Next Day.  
  
Chandler sat in a slightly uncomfortable chair in a colorless lounge at the hospital. Monica sat beside him, her head on his shoulder. She had her eyes closed, but wasn't asleep. He had his arm around her shoulder and his head was resting on hers. It was only 9:45 AM and the couple had been there for hours. So far they had been for blood work, shots and x-rays. They had been told the results for the blood tests would be in later that week, but the x-ray results would be ready soon. Chandler sighed and glanced at his watch. It had been a long day so far and there was a lot more to come. They still had multiple tests and check-ups to come, anywhere from eye exams to psychiatric tests.  
  
Monica yawned and snuggled closed to Chandler. He reacted by pulling her closer.  
  
"Fun way to celebrate our anniversary," he said, jokingly.  
  
Monica laughed. "I'm just glad we're both alive. I mean things could have turned out a lot differently, you know."  
  
"I know," he answered. Being back to the 'real world' had made both Chandler and Monica realize how lucky they had been. They had had no way of knowing, while they were on the island, that they had been the only survivors. Although they hadn't always felt it, they had been lucky.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The 3rd Anniversary Of The Crash.  
  
Monica sat on a stage along with Chandler and the other 5 survivors. They sat in front of a large audience. She could see her friends and her parents in the crowd, as they had all come to watch.  
  
"Hello, everyone and welcome to the show. I am your host, Ann Weathers. Now, many of you remember the terrible tragedy that occurred exactly 3 years ago today. A passenger plane went down over the Atlantic ocean, and many lost their lives, but today we are here with 7 very lucky people, who not only survived the crash, but also two years on a deserted island, only a few hundred miles off the coast. They are hear today to tell you their story, as well as show you how good things can come from bad events. First off we have Daniel and Lisa."  
  
Daniel and Lisa got up and talked about how they had found comfort in each other and how they no longer took for granted what they had.  
  
Gordon talked about how glad he was to be home, but that he had missed so much in his son's life.  
  
It was now Monica and Chandler's turn.  
  
"For what reasons were you on the plane in the first place?" Anne asked.  
  
"We were going to celebrate our anniversary," Chandler answered.  
  
"And what have you taken out of your experience?"  
  
"Not to take each other for granted," Monica answered. "When I woke up on the beach, Chandler was in shock and I thought he was dead. That was the worst moment of my life. But, in a way, I'm glad that happened, because it made me realize how special this relationship is and how much I love you." Monica finished looking at Chandler. A sigh went through the crowd and Chandler took Monica's hand in his.  
  
"I feel exactly the same way," he said.  
  
"Monica and Chandler," Ann said to the audience, "were married six months ago and have some good news to share." She looked at the couple.  
  
Chandler looked at Monica, who nodded. "Monica's pregnant," he said. The crowd cheered. Chandler smiled. Although their lives had been put on hold, he and Monica had gotten back on track. They were soon to be a family.  
  
A few hours later all the survivors and their families stood around talking and mingling in a reception room, behind the stage. Both her and Chandler's parents, as well as the gang, had been surprised, but happy at their news. They hadn't known Monica was pregnant, as Monica and Chandler hadn't known how to tell them. Joey had joked that they should just learn to tell people stuff, right away, as they were clearly not very good at it. Everyone had laughed. Monica sighed. She was truly happy at this moment. Chandler stood beside her, his arm around her, as they surveyed the room. Rachel and Joey were chatting with Daniel and Lisa, Phoebe seemed to be hitting it off with one of Daniel's friends and Ross and Emily, who had come to see Lisa, pretended not to notice each other. Things were as they should be, Monica thought. She smiled and leaned her head against Chandler's shoulder. Exactly as they should be.  
  
Note: I didn't want to use a real talk show, so I kinda improvised. I wasn't trying to make a joke using the last name 'weathers' (y'know from Scream?) It was just the first name that came to my mind. Anyway, please tell me what you think and also I have a favor to ask. This might sound dumb, but I'm working on my writing and I have a question. If you review, could you pleeeeeaase tell me whether or not you cried (or almost cried) and at what part. It sounds dumb, I know, but I really need to know. Thanx! ( 


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